Lung and bone metastases from renal cell carcinoma responsive to bisphosphonates: a case report

Bisphosphonates (BP) are inhibitors of bone-resorption and have become the current standard of care for preventing skeletal complications associated with bone metastases. Although previous reports have also suggested potent antitumor, antiangiogenic and immunomodulatory properties of BP, there is debate about the clinical relevance of experimental in vitro and in vivo findings. We report a renal cell carcinoma case in which multiple lung and bone metastases displayed remarkable remission to BP therapy using 30 mg pamidronate once, 4 mg zoledronate once, and weekly 10 mg incadronate 10 times for 3 months. This is the first case report to demonstrate that BP therapy is effective to non-osseous visceral metastasis as well as bone metastases in the clinical setting.